Since You've Been Gone
by zestycrouton
Summary: Have you ever wondered what happened to the Saria while Link was away?


**Ok, so this isn't exactly my first time ever writing a story. But it is the first one that I intend to finish. Just so you know, there will be seven chapters, one about each sage and what happened to them while link was gone. **

**I hope you like it, and don't think it sucks.**

**I do not own Zelda, but if I did...that would so rock!!! **

**Also, if anyone read my first story, I apologize for deleting it. I made a big mistake and had to stop. My bad.**

**Chapter 1. The forest girl.**

Saria lay slumped on her bed staring at the large black thunderclouds pouring rain down upon Kokori forest just outside her window. Watching the clouds was her favorite pastime aside from playing hr ocarina on the stump in the Sacred Meadow. The Meadow was special to Saria, for whenever she felt down or depressed that was where she would go, and she had been feeling down a lot lately. Ever since _He_ left…

With a deep sigh, Saria rolled over and willed herself to forget about him. _He's saving the world,_ she thought to herself, _He doesn't have time to come back and visit, or write a letter, or-_

Saria groaned and sat up. "I need to stop thinking about this," she said aloud to no one in particular. "If I'm not careful, I'll turn into a skull kid."

"I hate to break it to you," said a voice from behind her, "but I'm afraid it's a bit too late for that."

Saria jumped up the bed and spun around.

"Mido!" she said breathlessly to the boy leaning in her window, "don't scare me like that!" Mido rolled his eyes and clambered in through her window, landing with a grunt on the floor, soaking wet.

"So," he said casually, standing up and wiping the dust off of his pants and shaking the water out of his unruly red hair. "Whatcha thinkin' about?"

Saria sighed and plopped down onto her bed. She had been expecting this, it was all Mido ever talked about now days. "I don't want to talk about it." She mumbled.

Mido took her mumbling as a need for his masculinity. He sat down beside her, took her hand and said, softly, "You're thinking about _Him_ again, aren't you?"

Saria jerked her hand back in annoyance and turned away. She had never liked his tone when he talked about _Him_; it was always so scathing and full of hate. _He_ and Mido had never gotten along.

"Come on Saria," said Mido despairingly. "I'm you best friend! You can open up to me!"

She tossed her pillow at his head and yelled, "I said I don't want to talk about it!" Somewhere in the back of her mind, she was wondering when she had ever decided Mido was her best friend, but she had no time to linger on it now. She was livid.

"Just…just go away, Mido." She spat finally, frustrated after a few intense moments of spiteful glaring.

"Fine! Make me out as the bad guy, I'm only trying to help!" he stood up and stalked towards the door.

Before exiting, however, he paused and said, bitterly "Whenever you do get over it, I expect an apology." Saria lobbed her shoe at him, but he ducked out the doorway before it made contact.

Enraged, she threw her covers over her head and before she knew it, began to cry. She didn't know what was wrong with her. Never before would she have lain in bed all-day and sulked. Never before would she have yelled at Mido, no matter how much of a prat he was. But ever since _He_ left…

Tears splashed down her face as she drew her covers in around her. It had been so long since she had seen him last. Six years, in fact. Saria sobbed.

Six years since that day in the Sacred Meadow when she had taught him her favorite song. Six years since she had told him how she believed that one day, the Meadow would be special to them. She didn't what had compelled her to say that. _And now_, she thought bitterly, _I never will._

After crying for a while longer, Saria slowly emerged from her blanket and looked out at the sky beyond her window. She had no idea how long she had been crying, but judging by the darkness that now consumed the forest, it had been awhile. The forest was deathly silent, all still aside from the occasional nocturnal creature.

_All the others must be asleep_, thought Saria. Seizing her chance, Saria snuck out of her house and headed towards the Lost Woods.

As she made her way through the convoluted forest, her thoughts drifted to Mido. It had been unfair of her to yell at him like that. After all, he was just trying to help. Then again, who was he to take _His_ rightful position? And why was he flirting with her? Were they not Kokori, children forever? Surely such things weren't allowed. But even as she thought this, _He_ flashed into her mind, and she felt guilty.

She shook her head to clear her thoughts and found herself at the gates of the Sacred Meadow. However, she couldn't shake the feeling that something was different. Something was strange. Something was…wrong.

Then she heard it, a deep grunting sound coming from the labyrinthine hedges in front of her. Cautiously, Saria tiptoed to the hedge and peered around the corner. What she saw made her scream. Unfortunately, the scream alerted the creature, and it began to charge. Terrified, Saria stumbled backwards out of the maze and watched as the ferocious man-pig charged off down the isle, holding it's wickedly curved spear out in front of it like a skewer.

Saria hid behind a leafy shrubbery, panting to catch her breath. What, she wondered, was that? And where did it come from? Saria was about to turn tail and flee when a thought came to her. What if something was happening at the old temple? She wouldn't be able to bear it if something happened to her sanctuary. It was her last connection with _Him_.

With newfound determination, Saria began to climb up the side of the hedge that surrounded the labyrinth and quietly began to pick her way across, careful of the many pig-faced guards. It took a few minutes to get across, and she nearly fell once or twice.

When she finally arrived at the courtyard, she surveyed the scene apprehensively. Nothing stirred in front of the temple. _How strange_, she thought. _Then again, whoever is in charge of the pig men probably already entered the temple. _So she hopped down from the hedge, crossed the courtyard, and stared at the staircase that lead up to the entrance of the temple. It was completely demolished, all except for the landing at the top.

Casting her eyes around for some way to solve her problem, Saria's gaze landed on an old oak tree growing just beside the staircase. It took Saria a while to climb the tree. She was woefully out of practice in this sort of thing, ever since _He_ had left, she had stopped going outside.

Landing with a thump atop the stairs, she examined the scrapes she had received from the rough bark of the tree, and then gazed within the entrance to the temple in a vain attempt to see past the opaque darkness. No good. Taking a deep breath, she steeled herself and walked in.

The first room was empty aside from to tall trees whose great height spanned all the way to the ceiling. Ignoring them, she walked on. Upon seeing that the second room, a hallway, was also empty, she began to relax. But then she heard voices. At first, they were barely audible, but as she continued along the ancient hallway, they soon became clear. The voices belonged to two large men arguing in the next room.

Saria's heart jumped into her throat in fear. Keeping to the shadows, she skulked closer, her feet drumming soundlessly on the dusty carpet of the antechamber. Both men were large, very masculine looking and tall, and appeared to be twins, though one seemed to be bossing the other one around.

The bossy one was giving the other directions, something about intruders, but Saria's heart was beating too loudly for her to hear. Something about the bossy man spoke of great evil. An overbearing aura of malevolence hung about his person.

Suddenly fearing for her safety, Saria turned around to make a hasty retreat. Unfortunately, she found her escape route cut off by a large, purple poltergeist. For the second time that night, she screamed. An earsplitting shriek reverberated around the antechamber.

Instantly, the ghoul seized her and began dragging her towards the large, fearsome men. She kicked, screamed and struggled, but to no avail. The ghost was surprisingly strong for a dead thing.

"Ah," said a voice from behind her that made her blood chill. His voice was harsh and cruel. "I see our first guest has arrived."

The specter lifted her up and she found herself face-to-face with the dark man.

"Puppet!" barked the man in a commanding tone, "prove your worth and destroy the sage of the forest!"

Fighting futile against the ghosts grip, Saria watched helplessly as the copy raised a hand surging with foul energy towards her. Just before the foul energy consumed her in never ending darkness, one word escaped her lips.

"Link…"

**Ok, so hope you like it. Please review. No, seriously, please. I'm begging you! PLEASE!!!**

**Ok, enough groveling. The next chapter will be about Darunia if you havent already figured that out. It should be up soon.**

** Cheers!**


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